VillaFaninLondon Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 6 hours ago, lukesmith17 said: Strongest possible team will play at City. So fully expecting a few changes tomorrow hopefully still get a positive result. We'll most likely get nothing at City regardless of which team we put out so I'd rather he went full strength to get the win tomorrow, or at the very least almost full strength with maybe a couple of changes. If he doesn't it looks as though he's just focusing on the City game to try to get Liverpool the league title, which will not look good. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 (edited) I think Coutinho will be rested given Buendia ran riot up there and they'll struggle to pick him up if they play their usual 4-4-2. Beyond that I think it will be pretty much strongest team we can put out otherwise it's not a good look to the other two battling relegation. Feels like they'll get a scrappy early goal this time and it will be a drab 11. Not winning this game pretty much confirms us finishing 14th. Edited May 18, 2022 by VillaChris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srsmithusa Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 it's interesting the lower mid table Villa have a major say in who goes down tomorrow. And an even greater say in who wins the league on Sunday. I suspect we will lose both. They just have so much to play for.... and many players seem to have shifted into beach mode prematurely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnnyp Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 49 minutes ago, srsmithusa said: it's interesting the lower mid table Villa have a major say in who goes down tomorrow. And an even greater say in who wins the league on Sunday. I suspect we will lose both. They just have so much to play for.... and many players seem to have shifted into beach mode prematurely. Sunday yes. I think we’ll win tomorrow though. Sometimes having everything to play for is not enough if you just aren’t that good, and Burnley aren’t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnnyp Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 (edited) 6 hours ago, Steero113 said: A balance of giving our youth a chance and some experience against what will be a very physical Burnley side needing a result: Olsen Cash Chambers Mings Digne Iroegbunam Sanson Luiz Buendia Watkins Chukwuemeka I actually like that. Good effort. Ballsy but id be surprised and again Gerrard will get hammered in the media when it comes to professional integrity regarding Everton and Leeds, because it would be hard for him to explain it. Basically if he can’t field his best 11 in two consecutive games 68 hours apart, and he has showed his hand because his selection has been quite consistent, then they’ll pull him up on it. We’ve nothing to play for so he can’t say he’s been tactical. 1 or 2 changes tomorrow - it’s zero issue. If he rips it up totally then we know how it looks. Edited May 18, 2022 by Johnnyp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WallisFrizz Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 7 hours ago, Johnnyp said: I actually like that. Good effort. Ballsy but id be surprised and again Gerrard will get hammered in the media when it comes to professional integrity regarding Everton and Leeds, because it would be hard for him to explain it. Basically if he can’t field his best 11 in two consecutive games 68 hours apart, and he has showed his hand because his selection has been quite consistent, then they’ll pull him up on it. We’ve nothing to play for so he can’t say he’s been tactical. 1 or 2 changes tomorrow - it’s zero issue. If he rips it up totally then we know how it looks. I’m not sure he would get hammered. We have genuine injuries at GK and CB, Tim has started against another relegation zone team, Chuk has featured plenty and we have two games in a short space of time so rotation is to be expected. Plus, it’s common to give starts to the youth when you’re season is done and dusted from a competitive point of view. It’s not our responsibility to keep the relegation battle alive, just do what’s best for us. I wouldn’t start Sanson though, he’d be too rusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 15 hours ago, Steero113 said: A balance of giving our youth a chance and some experience against what will be a very physical Burnley side needing a result: Olsen Cash Chambers Mings Digne Iroegbunam Sanson Luiz Buendia Watkins Chukwuemeka This team looks good in my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post lapal_fan Posted May 19, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 19, 2022 I would love an entertaining 6-7 loss, with us purposely scoring 7 OG's in the last 2 minutes in the game, whilst the players bring a banner on with "Ciao Leeds/Everton" on it. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 Villa need to put a shine on what has been a turd of a season, where they have managed to spend a hell of a lot of money, while getting slightly worse. Burnley badly need a win. Villa need a win to prove the new manager has improved the culture and mentality. I can't say I am optimistic. Prediction: 2-1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Steero113 Posted May 19, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 19, 2022 6 minutes ago, MakemineVanilla said: Villa need to put a shine on what has been a turd of a season, where they have managed to spend a hell of a lot of money, while getting slightly worse. Points per game this season under Smith: 0.90ppg Points per game this season under Gerrard: 1.36ppg Smith across the season at that rate: we finish 19th. Gerrard across the season at that rate: we finish 9th. Coutinho (4 goals 3 assists in 15 starts) at £17m, Digne (3 assists in 12 starts and a massive upgrade on fat Targett) at £25m and Chambers (arguably the best free we've made in a decade?) on a free have been very very shrewd pieces of business, hardly spending a hell of a lot of money is it. It hasn't been a great season, it never is for any team who changes head coach midway through a Premier League campaign. But to say we have gotten "slightly worse" is a fabrication based on your own perceived minimum requirements for Gerrard or the club at the start of his tenure. Give it time. 16 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 (edited) 26 minutes ago, Steero113 said: Points per game this season under Smith: 0.90ppg Points per game this season under Gerrard: 1.36ppg Smith across the season at that rate: we finish 19th. Gerrard across the season at that rate: we finish 9th. Coutinho (4 goals 3 assists in 15 starts) at £17m, Digne (3 assists in 12 starts and a massive upgrade on fat Targett) at £25m and Chambers (arguably the best free we've made in a decade?) on a free have been very very shrewd pieces of business, hardly spending a hell of a lot of money is it. It hasn't been a great season, it never is for any team who changes head coach midway through a Premier League campaign. But to say we have gotten "slightly worse" is a fabrication based on your own perceived minimum requirements for Gerrard or the club at the start of his tenure. Give it time. Just to add to that, we've been in a weird sort.. transition stage all season, where it was never too likely we'd be in a relegation battle, whilst we probably internally acknowledged losing Jack and adding 3 good players, they probably needed a settling in period - that we were probably never going to pull up any trees. Then we've changed managers part way through, he's changed our tactics to become more tactics focused (he's mentioned he's rigidly sticking to the system and it's up to the players to see if they can hack it), he's bought further players in (very good ones I think) and we've been kinda.. going through the motions since.. Losing against teams we shouldn't and having good games against teams above us to show we're no mugs. Honestly, this summer's acquisitions and players moved on and next season will really shape where we are as a club. If we aren't in the fight for European places (and I include 7th in that), then I think we'll see some trouble. Until then, just enjoy what's left of a pretty entertaining season. Edited May 19, 2022 by lapal_fan 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 Always hard to predict what Gerrard is going to down re starting XIs, but in his press conference yesterday he certainly gave the impression he would be trying quite a few players over the two games. Whether that really amounts to anything I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted May 19, 2022 Moderator Share Posted May 19, 2022 On 17/05/2022 at 01:45, Hornso said: Buendia from the start please Steven. I would hope Buendia's performance against this lot a few weeks back, and the fact he has been rested and is due a start since then, will mean he starts tonight. I'll be a bit pissed off if he doesn't. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picicata Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 1 hour ago, Steero113 said: It hasn't been a great season, it never is for any team who changes head coach midway through a Premier League campaign. But to say we have gotten "slightly worse" is a fabrication based on your own perceived minimum requirements for Gerrard or the club at the start of his tenure. Give it time. In fairness, I think MakemineVanilla is referring to the season as a whole rather than it getting worse since Gerrard has come in. This season has been slightly worse than last. As for the game, play the players we want to play, if that's a youth player or two then that's what we should do. We shouldn't be worrying about other teams opinions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberman Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 Much as I would love Everton or Leeds to go down, 3 points would likely give us a more respectable finishing position, even assuming nothing away at Citeh. Everton should make themselves safe tonight anyway. Then again, Leeds going down would be excellent. Hey ho - probably reasonably ok with whatever result tonight. Would very much like another little Emi masterclass though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supermon Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 If he plays Sanson then you know something is a bit fishy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam2003 Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 3 hours ago, MakemineVanilla said: Villa need to put a shine on what has been a turd of a season, where they have managed to spend a hell of a lot of money, while getting slightly worse Net spend about £25m isn’t it? Not a great season but hardly the one where we have thrown money at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam2003 Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 18 minutes ago, supermon said: If he plays Sanson then you know something is a bit fishy A Rashica link? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted May 19, 2022 Moderator Share Posted May 19, 2022 The Buendia/Coutinho mix is an interesting one - give the way he's performed this season, you'd want Coutinho to play in this game and Buendia the next. Home-Coutinho has been a much better player than away-Coutinho, whereas Buendia has been consistent home or away. The big game nature of next week might suit Coutinho though. Personally, I'd be leaning to Buendia tonight. Except.... We've only really got two strikers and I don't think it was ever really our intention to play with two - so whether Ings and Watkins can both start in both games presents a problem. Do we drop one of them tonight and play Traore, with the problems that presents in the way it changes our shape, style and pattern? Do we play both then bring in an extra midfielder for Citeh? It's a peculiar one and if Gerrard doesn't think the two strikers have it in their legs, then there's an opportunity to either play both Buendia and Coutinho together or to start Chukwuemeka in one of those positions - or even to play Luiz, McGinn and Ramsey in front of Nakamba (or Iroegbunam). In a strange way, our lack of options up front give us an awful lot of options in terms of how we want to set up further back. One thing I would like tonight is not to lose a centre half - Josh Feeney is an excellent prospect, but I don't want to see him make a full debut away at a Man City who need to win to take the title - that'd be just a little unfair on the young fella. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders0223 Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 (edited) He will drop Ings for Buendia and bring back JJ for Nakamba. Because Stevie G is the most predictable coach we've ever had. Coutinho will start. Luiz will go back to DM where he doesn't excel. Mcginn will play 90. Edited May 19, 2022 by rodders0223 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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